Why Hotel Security Matters, and How to Improve It
Security is something hotel owners and operators must take seriously. If you want people to stay in your hotel, you need to have an impeccable reputation. Security incidents can poison public opinion about your establishment, and then you’ll have to fight hard to turn that around.
We’ll talk about some hotel security measures you can implement right now, and we’ll also cover in more detail why you need to have these measures in place.
A Hotel Should Feel Like a Sanctuary
You will likely find there are many ways to improve hotel security, but before we get into some of those, we should explain why a safe hotel matters so much. If you run a hotel, you might have travelers from places nearby, but you may also have some from all across the world. You never know who’s staying there and why they chose your hotel.
Whether your average guest is from close by or some international locale, they will want to feel secure when they enter your lobby. They might feel exhaustion or jet lag. Maybe they just came from a crucial meeting or a funeral.
You have no way to tell whether business or pleasure drew your guest to you. Whatever the case, they should not worry once they’re checked in and headed up to their room.
Your hotel should be a kind of oasis for travelers. If you can’t provide that for them, they will not enjoy themselves, and you can be sure they’ll leave you a poor review when they get a chance.
Your Hotel Represents You
As the hotel’s operator or owner, you should also understand that your hotel is like an extension of yourself. If you’re a fastidious person, your hotel’s neatness should reflect that. A hotel where someone can walk around at will without checking in won’t feel safe, and you wouldn’t want to stay at such a place yourself.
Your hotel’s security should make you feel proud of it. You’re representing not just yourself but the city or town in which you operate. You want someone visiting to get the right impression, regardless of whether they’re from a few miles away or the other side of the world.
Some Ways to Improve Hotel Security
Now that we’ve talked about why your hotel’s security matters, we’ll go over some ways that you can make it better. Making sure you check in each guest when they arrive should be first.
You can have signage telling your guests to approach the front desk as soon as they arrive. If they do that, you can be sure that they have legitimate business there.
To better facilitate this, you can have someone who you place close to the front doors. They can either stand outside or inside. If you can afford it, you might have someone standing in both places.
Once someone arrives and your front desk attendant checks them in, they can give the guest their room key. That key should only open the door to their room and no others. You should also make sure to check each person’s ID who enters the hotel. They must prove their identity to stay there.
Other Ways to Improve Your Hotel’s Security Protocols
You should also have working cameras in the lobby and on every floor. Ideally, you want multiple cameras that can show you various areas.
You can look at those cameras to see if you have any blind spots. You can’t have cameras in every person’s room, but you should have them positioned to watch over every public or shared space.
You can also have roving security guards who can walk around the property and check to make sure everything is quiet and calm. They should have radios so they can keep in touch, and you should have a central security hub where they can communicate with a supervisor.
The guards should know various codes they can use for scenarios that might come up. They don’t want to say something that might cause a panic if a dangerous situation arises.
You should also know the nearest police station and fire station and have their numbers handy. If anything comes up that your staff can’t handle, you’ll want them to contact the authorities immediately.
The larger and fancier your hotel, the more security you will probably need. It might prove costly, but it’s worth it. You can show any guests that you’re taking the best possible care of them.
